Boehner Shuts Off C-Span at Critical Moment

By Dennis DiClaudio, Comedy Central's Indecision

23 December 11

f there's one thing that's truly tearing this country, it's partisan bickering. It's not really important who is mounting an incredibly unpopular battle against an extension a payroll tax cut for middle class Americans during a recession despite claiming to be an anti-tax party. What's important is that the poor (soon-to-be-poorer) innocent citizenry not get poisoned by all this ugliness.

That's why I'm glad that when given the chance last year to allow C-SPAN to control its own cameras and extend their coverage of congressional proceedings, House Speaker John Boehner said no. He is a wise and just man, and he knew that one day he would have to weird unilateral power over those unhealthy and unpatriotic machines…

As Rep. Stenny Hoyer (D-MD) attempted to call for a vote to extend a payroll tax cut to middle class and working Americans, his Republican colleagues adjourned the House and walked out of the chamber. And if that weren't odd enough, it got even stranger: As Hoyer railed against them for failing to help working Americans, footage from C-SPAN went silent, then cut away…

"We regret, Mr. Speaker, that you have walked off the platform without addressing the issue of critical importance to this country, and that is the continuation of the middle class tax cut, the continuation of unemployment benefits for those at risk of losing them, and a continuation of the access to doctors for all those 48 million seniors who rely on them daily for help."

And that's when the audio cut out. Seconds later, footage faded to a shot of the capitol from outside.

Moments later, someone at C-SPAN took to Twitter and explained: "C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras - the Speaker of the House does."

Can you imagine? The 37 to 52 people who are watching C-SPAN at any given time almost had to hear what Rep. Hoyer had to say about Republican efforts to increase taxes for the middle class. Luckily, Boehner stepped in and did what needed to be done.

Crisis averted.